October 16, 2014

This is too classic a smackdown to ignore. This week, the marketing profession saw a textbook example of traditional marketing ideology failing to account for social media fall-out.

Last March, Bose sent the NFL a boatload of money and in return became the NFL’s Official Headphone and Headset Sponsor. But last Sunday, 49er Quarterback Colin Kaepernick wore his pink (read: breast cancer awareness) Beats by Dr. Dre headphones at a post-game press event.

The NFL, never one to let a pesky thing like breast cancer awareness get in the way of a sponsorship, slapped Kaepernick with a $10,000 fine.

So at yesterday’s press conference, Kaepernick once again wore his pink Dr. Dre’s but this time had tape over the Beat’s logo. For Beats, this must have seemed like manna from heaven covered in butterscotch sauce. First, its high-end competitor (Bose) became publicly ensnared with the NFL’s old-school, money-grubbing pettiness. Second, Beats emerged as the choice of the rebellious types.

You get the idea. Never mind that Dre has paid Kaepernick for years. From a marketing perspective, and with the NFL’s unwitting (or perhaps “dim-witting” assistance), this is game, set & match for Dre.